Adam Pick Farm: For the Record
The following is an attempt to summarize Adam Pick Farm’s agonizing demise, most notably throughout The Great Depression, using information taken from Sioux County Iowa Abstract of Title, archived Sioux County Iowa atlas’ and area newspaper articles.
In The Beginning/1903-1922 (chronological order)
Artist’s Rendering: 1903 (1st parcel) & 1918 (2nd parcel) land purchases.
1903 FEB 03: Adam Pick purchases his 1st parcel of land (240 acres) from Henry Nothe; southeast quarter and south half of the southwest quarter/Nassau Twp, Sec 12, Alton/Sioux Co/Iowa; $18,000.
1918 DEC 02: Adam Pick purchases a 2nd and final parcel (198.69 acres) from Jacob & Dena Cambier /north half of the southwest quarter & all that part of the north half of the Section which lies south of the railroad right of way/Nassau Twp, Sec 12, Alton, Sioux County, Iowa; $46,692.
After Adam Pick’s death, his land, now in his widow Mary’s name, was held by four mortgages of which three foreclosed. For the sake of better understanding, each mortgage is followed individually.
1923 Dec 10: Mortgage #4 (Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company) – green ink
1926 Dec 4: Mortgage #5 (Equitable Life Insurance Company of Iowa) – purple ink
1930 Apr 4: Mortgage #6 (Alton Savings Bank)…Released 1931 Mar 11.
1931 Feb 11: Mortgage #7 (Alton Savings Bank/Minten/Perlot/Hoefer/Kokenge).
Artist’s rendering: Locations of post 1922 mortgages.
1936 Sep 17: Mortgage #7/John Kokenge court ordered to bring suit against Mary Pick.
1936 Dec 17: Mortgage #7/Kokenge authorized to bring suit.
1936 Dec 7: Mortgage #7/Certificate of sale for unpaid taxes; On December 7, 1936, one year later, taxes paid by Ernest Kokenge.
1936 Dec 31: Mortgage #7/“Plaintiff’s pray for…foreclosure” & “appointment of a receiver.”
1936 or 1937: Mortgage #7/John Minten files suit against Mary Pick and Sioux County Iowa. No. 51 (Cause No. 10806).
1937 Jan 7: Mortgage #7/Minten, Hoefer, Perlot, Kokenge file foreclosure suit against Mary Pick.
No. 53/Abstract of Title continued:
1937 Jan 20: Mortgage #7/…”Motion for Continuance to March 1, 1937 sustained. (Record 16 Page 463).”
1937 Feb 20: Mortgage #7/…”By Agreement of parties, Ernest Kokenge is appointed Receiver. (Record 16 Page 487.)
1937 Sep 24: Mortgage #7/John Minten suit/Pick lease fixed.
1938 Feb 10: Mortgage #7/Annual report for John Minten suit.
Addition to No. 53/Sioux County Iowa Abstract of Title:
1939 Feb 10: …”motion to vacate moratorium.”
1939 Feb 20: …”Hearing on motion to vacate moratorium set for February 18, 1939. (Record 17 Page 448)”
1940 Feb 8: Mortgage #7/Notice of Sheriff’s Sale.
1940 Nov 21: Mortgage #7/Notice of Tax Sale.
1941 Feb 20: Mortgage #7/Guardianship of Kokenge minors.
1941 Mar 6: Mortgage #7/Receiver’s final
report.
1941 Mar 21: Mortgage #7/Deed/Mary Pick to Lawrence Pick.
1941 Mar 20: Mortgage #7/The forty acres held in foreclosed Mortgage #7 purchased from Sioux County Iowa by Lawrence Pick. (See pg. 31-1961 Nassau Twp atlas)
1951 Feb 22: Frank Henrich sold 40 acres of the land held in foreclosed Mortgage #4 (Mutual) to Lawrence Pick. (See 1961 Sioux County Iowa/Nassau Twp, Sec atlas.)
1951 Feb 22: Frank Henrich sold 40 acres of the land held in foreclosed Mortgage #4 (Mutual) to Lawrence Pick. (See 1961 Sioux County Iowa/Nassau Twp, Sec atlas.)
1976: Adam Pick Farm recouped by Pick Brothers, Lawrence and Elmer
Activity for Mortgages 4, 5, 6, & 7 in Chronological Order
1923 Dec 10: Mortgage #4 (Mutual) – 1st mortgage following Adam Pick’s death.
1926 Dec 4: Mortgage #5 (Equitable)/120 acres – 2nd mortgage following Adam’s death.
1930 Apr 4 & 1931 Mar 11: Mortgage #6 (Alton Savings Bank)/Same land parcel held in Mortgage #7 – 3rd mortgage following Adam’s death.
1931 Feb 11: Mortgage #7 due February 11, 1934 – 4th & final mortgage following Adam’s death.
1931 Mar 3: Mortgage #7 Assignment.
1933 Nov 17: Mortgage #5 (Equitable) Extension.
1936 Sep 17: Mortgage #7/John Kokenge court ordered to bring suit against Mary Pick.
1936 Dec 7: Mortgage #7/Certificate of sale for unpaid taxes; On December 7, 1936, one year later, taxes paid by Ernest Kokenge.
1936 Dec 17: Mortgage #7/Kokenge authorized to bring suit.
1936 Dec 31: Mortgage #7/“Plaintiff’s pray for…foreclosure” & “appointment of a receiver.”
1936 or 1937: Mortgage #7/John Minten files suit against Mary Pick and Sioux County Iowa.
1937 Jan 1: Deed Transfer for land in Mortgage #4 (Mutual)-Mary Pick to Lawrence & Sylvester Pick.
1937 Jan 7: Mortgage #7/Minten, Hoefer, Perlot, Kokenge file foreclosure suit against Mary Pick.
1937 Jan 20: Mortgage #7/…”Motion for Continuance to March 1, 1937 sustained.
1937 Feb 4: Mortgage #5 (Equitable)/Continuance to March 1, 1939 granted-1st of 2 continuances.
1937 Feb 20: Mortgage #7/…”By Agreement of parties, Ernest Kokenge is appointed Receiver.
1937 Mar 12: Mortgage #4 (Mutual)/Suit filed seeking foreclosure.
1937 Apr 8: Mortgage #4 (Mutual) Continuance to March 1, 1939 granted.
1937 May 25: Mortgage #5 (Equitable) foreclosed (This foreclosure not followed through.)
1937 Sep 24: Mortgage #7/John Minten suit/Pick lease fixed.
1937 Dec 20: Mortgage #5 (Equitable)/Petition in Equity (Equity Life “praying” for foreclosure.)
1938 Jan 10: Mortgage #5 (Equitable)/Court appearance.
1938 Jan 24: Mortgage #5 (Equitable)/Second Continuance granted.
1938 Feb 10: Mortgage #7/Annual report for John Minten suit.
*1938 Dec 30: Warranty Deed/First Adam Pick land sale for land held in foreclosed Mortgage #4 (Mutual).
1939 Feb 10: Mortgage #7/…”motion to vacate moratorium.”
1939 Feb 20: Mortgage #7/…”Hearing on motion to vacate moratorium set for February 18, 1939.
1939 May 16: Mortgage #5(Equitable) foreclosed.
1939 Jun 1: Mortgage #5(Equitable)/Sioux County Iowa Sheriff served Mary Pick with written notice of execution and levy.
**1939 June 15: Notice of Sheriff’s Sale for land held in foreclosed Mortgage #5 (Equitable).
***1940 Feb 8: Mortgage #7/Notice of Sheriff’s Sale.
1940 Jul 2: Deed filed for Equitable Life Insurance Company’s purchase of land held in foreclosed Mortgage #5 (Equitable).
1940 Aug 22: Receiver’s final report/Mortgage #5 (Equitable).
1940 Nov 21: Mortgage #7/Notice of Tax Sale.
1941 Feb 20: Mortgage #7/Guardianship of Kokenge minors.
**1941 March: Oscar Henrich buys from Equitable Life Insurance Company of Iowa the land held in foreclosed Mortgage #5 (Equitable).
1941 Mar 6: Mortgage #7/Receiver’s final report.
***1941 Mar 20: Mortgage #7/The forty acres held in foreclosed Mortgage #7 purchased from Sioux County Iowa by Lawrence Pick.
1941 Mar 21: Mortgage #7/Deed/Mary Pick to Lawrence Pick.
*1941 Sep 25:The land held in foreclosed Mortgage #4 (Mutual) and sold to Mutual Benefit Life Dec. 30, 1938 was purchased by Gerrit Vrieze & Oscar Henrich.
Reference source: http://ir.uiowa.edu/annals-of-iowa/vol50/iss/4/
“Farm Mortgagor Relief Legislation in Iowa During the Great Depression” by Patrick B. Bauer
*Abbreviated definition of “receiver”: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/receiver.html
“Independent party appointed by a court…when a debtor fails to comply with the terms of the loan agreement, is deemed to be in serious financial difficulties by the secured creditors, certain events or circumstances threaten the viability of the business and, hence, the money owed by it. The receiver is mandated to take control (but not the title) to the pledged assets or the property to which debt is charged (and nothing else) to collect sufficient amount to repay the debt (plus his or her fees or expenses)…”
